The present invention relates generally to a novel and improved construction of an optical fiber splicer having a welded splice element, and more specifically to a unique welded splice element useful for splicing at least two optical fibers together.
Many different types and constructions of optical fiber splicers and splice elements for use in the same are evident in the prior art. The splicers often house the splice elements, and have channels to guide optical fibers towards the splice elements to form a spliced connection therebetween. These splicers and splice elements have become quite popular in the telecommunications industry, for example, due to the increased transmission speeds and signal clarity of optical fibers used as telecommunications transmission lines as compared with older, metallic wire telecommunications transmission lines.
The spliced connection between two optical fibers is very critical to the operation of a telecommunications network because optical fibers utilize the phenomenon of total internal reflection of incident electromagnetic wave fronts. If signal bearing cores of the spliced fibers are misaligned even slightly, the quality of the telecommunication network may be compromised because signal loss can occur at the spliced interface between two optical fibers. This can result in customer dissatisfaction with the telecommunications network service and operator, and in reduced revenues to the network operator.
To reduce the probability of core misalignment and signal loss, the splice elements are constructed to meet relatively exacting standards. One such splice element is disclosed in the U.S. patent application of Essert et al., Ser. No. 07/579,127 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,456 (the '127 application). That patent application is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and the disclosure thereof is incorporated herein by this reference.
With use of the prior art splice elements, two elements are sandwiched together within the splicer, with the optical fibers to be spliced located therebetween. To provide a spliced connection meeting the exacting standards, the splice elements are held together by the spring-like properties realized by the novel design of another part of the splicer, such as a housing containing the splice elements. Thus, the construction of the housing and the spring-like properties thereof are relied upon to achieve a proper spliced connection between two optical fibers in the above-referenced '127 application.
As fiber optic technology becomes more and more prevalent in modern applications, it is desired to increase the number and types of applications for reusable splice connectors in various forms of fiber optic equipment. This can result in increased revenues to the operator, and improved service quality.
The welded splice element of the present invention is an improvement over the splice element of the prior art and of the above-disclosed patent application of Essert, and is intended to allow for a plurality of additional applications or uses of reliable and easily operable reusable splice connectors in various optical fiber equipment. Also, with use of the welded splice elements of the invention, the construction of the splicer or housing and the spring-like properties thereof are not relied upon for a proper optical fiber spliced connection, and hence the splicer may be used in a variety of new and different applications.